At Galadriel's Knees
by jennii.b
Summary: As the wisest and the weary travel back to their lands in Rivendel and the Shire the time has come for decisions about who must go forth and who makes plans to stay...to try to heal both their own hearts and the land. One-shot with AU, sweet & simple.


The elders sat under the waning moon, their thoughts many and varied. Sometimes Genos opened her mind, allowing Galdriel to share the silent debates and discussions with her. At others she simply closed off her link to the mistress, lingering in a state of touch alone. Galadriel, as well as Gandalf, Celeborn, and Elrond, sat upon a softly rounded stone. Elrond's sons were nearby, Elladan resting his back against a log, his long long legs stretched out before him, while Ellrohir sat upon it. Sometimes they joined in the conversation of the wise, sometimes they spoke quietly among themselves. Genos herself sat at Galadriel's feet, her head resting upon the golden elf's knees. Galadriel had earlier in the evening loosened the plaits pinned against Genos's dark head and even now absently petted this, her child, sometimes running her pale hands through the tresses, sometimes tracing the beloved face with soft fingertips. Her dark hair gleamed under the night's lights. Her young, wise face was at once completely relaxed and still pained as she absorbed as much of the only mother she'd ever known as she could. Time was short.

There had been silence and meditation for long moments when Elrond spoke aloud. He laughed aloud as a stray thought danced through his mind. "Quite the decision is before you, mortal child, offered for by two princes and a king."

Genos raised her eyes to Galadriel's face, on which a smile was widening, then on to Celeborn's. His response to her unasked question was to raise a brow.

"Well deserved, a good showing of your worth," Gandalf said gruffly. "And which will you choose, the swan, the green fields, or the woodland elf?"

Genos had raised her head and her eyes were locked again with Galadriel's. Although she smiled, it was sad and her lips were pressed tightly together as she gave the tiniest of shrugs and then shook her head with the smallest of motions. Galadriel framed her face with both hands and spoke to those around them. "She will chose none of them," the lady of the wood announced softly but firmly.

Celeborn closed his eyes against his pain. He feared that Genos would cross the seas with Galadriel, leaving him alone. "Well," he said, "there's no need to rush any decision." He urged time in the deciding so that she could spend more time with him.

Galadriel shook her head. "No, the decision has been made. They are all worthy men, admirable and good. But their fates shall not be entwined with the heir of my land." She bent to press a kiss to Genos's brow.

Ellrohir sat forward. His voice was a mixture of sharp disapproval, surprise, and a sense of pain and betrayal that was a surprise to those listening. "You will join those leaving these shores?"

Elrond scolded his older son, "Long you have known that those bearing the rings of power would leave. Our time is over, our tasks done for better or worse. Your decision to stay I admire and applaud. But it is your decision. Let others make theirs as they see best."

Ellodan's face was turned away from the group as he spoke, pain in his voice as well. Absent was the accusation in his brother's. "Ellrohir speaks not in disrespect. He only..." The young elflord's voice trailed off. Genos had turned her head in their direction at Ellrohir's outburst and now willed Elladan to look at her. His face remained shut off from her even as he spoke again. "You would just leave?"

"You misunderstand. The decision made was that of turning down marriage to those who had asked. Whether I stay or go as yet depends on the actions of another."

"Your life is yours to shape now-yours wholly and completely. You cannot wait upon others," Gandalf chided her softly but firmly.

She tilted her head and smiled. "It is not weakness that stays my hand, Mithrandir. It is hope."

"So you're not to leave now?" Elladan asked.

Genos shrugged. "Haldir feared that there were no Mallorn trees in the havens. My fear is that my heart could not find peace there alone."

Elladan turned his head to face her now. She regarded him with a regal calm.

"Beneath the Mallorn?" he asked. She only raised her eyebrows. He sighed deeply, then looked around. "I had not thought to seek the havens yet. There is work still to be done here-this I feel deeply. We have a responsibility. We cannot simply abandon our lands yet."

"Some have given all that they can..." she told him.

"I know that. I know that you have given as much as any of the many others who have been called great."

Genos glanced around at the faces watching the exchange. There was eagerness and apprehension in their elders.

Suddenly Elladan rose; his face was a mask of misery as he crossed to her, kneeling in front of her, his knees so very close to her own as she turned away from Galadriel. He took her hands in his, his chest heaving. "Forgive my rash words. I meant not to put more pressure on you. It was with surprise that Ellrohir spoke. Never did we think that you would truly leave-I thought-I thought that you would stay, at least for a time. I thought that I should let you heal first, to find your new path. You never said that you were going-and you've always spoken so freely among us."

Genos squeezed his hands. Her face was serious and a bit sad. "That decision wasn't made," she insisted.

"Those were the wrong words," Galadriel said softly. The young people both looked at her. Her arms were crossed and her face was set.

Elladan dropped his forehead to that of Genos. His mouth worked and several times he started to speak. Finally he nuzzled very close to her face and spoke only a breath away from her lips. "Don't leave me. Stay...or give me leave to come with you..." he drew is a ragged breath "...my heart could not beat...do you remember?"

Genos responded in kind, her gaze on his lips as he whispered to her, her own voice soft as she answered him. "Always was my heart yours, from that first moment..."

He took her mouth then, tenderly but firmly marking his claim. The laughter of the audience around them was ignored as he moved his hands, pulling her fully against him, trapping her hands at his shoulders with one arm wrapped around her waist. The other buried itself in her hair, shaping it and tangling so that he could not easily let her go, urging her head back and angling it so that he could kiss her even more deeply. It seemed to him after a time, as he whispered his love against her lips, that the golden ring upon her hand burned like a warming fire against his heart. The silver, now cupped around his neck, was like a cool rain. As he pulled away from her there were tears on her face.

"It seems a handfasting must be made," Celeborn boomed. Gandalf chuckled, but Elrond remained sullen.

"Still no decision has been made, to mine ears," he said.

Elladan stared into Genos's eyes. Again he sighed, angry with himself. "Again you have been asked to forego the company of a loved one. I am sorry. I should have held my tongue. The decision is yours and I will stand beside you no matter what it is."

"You would turn your fate over to her?" Elrond asked. Elladan turned to face his father, still on his knees.

"I would rather walk beside her ever in the frozen wastelands of the north than take another breath without her. Begrudge me not one lifetime of happiness when I shall have all the ages after to curse my memories. Yes, Father, I give the decision to her, to stay in Middle Earth or to cross the sea as you do."

Galadriel spoke. "Trust your love to last through one more parting, Elladan. Ever have you had but moments when others have had the luxury of a lifetime. Once more, I beg you. Just this once. Let Genos come back to Lothlorien with us; journey to Rivendell with your father. When next you meet the world will be more settled and your path may be clearer among the falling leaves of another autumn." She rose, offering one hand to each of them. As they stood beside her she turned first to Genos. "You chose well, beloved daughter. I can be happy for you-at peace." Long was her embrace of this woman who had been placed in her arms at her birth to raise. Then she held the son of her true daughter. "Peace be with you, Elladan. Trust your heart and mine. Long have you loved and long have you sacrificed and yearned. Such faithfulness shall not be punished in the end. You will find a way."

Celeborn had risen as well and now he pressed a kiss to each brow. His heart grieved perhaps a little less, for he knew that this child would come home to help them prepare for what was to come, but he also guessed that she would stay for a bit longer to help the new world prepare for the future as well.

"Should not the Lord Aragorn be conferred?" Elrond asked.

Galadriel paused as she walked toward her travel tent. "Already he knew," she said before ducking in. "Arwen suspected long ago, as did Ellrohir. It is only we who were blind to what was between those we loved dearly. Come now, little one." She held out her hand to Genos.

Genos laughed as Ellrohir appeared before her. He simply placed a hand on each shoulder before squeezing a bit. Then he nodded and let her go, gesturing for her to follow Galadriel. As his brother's bride-to-be walked away he embraced his twin, hugging him fiercely in the manner of the Rangers, clapping each other about the backs.

Later that night each would steal out of their tents to walk hand in hand, or stand arm in arm. Oftener than not they were simply silent, content to have each other.


End file.
